Wednesday, November 30

CAUTION: WET PAINT AT KELLEN

If one were to have walked into the Town Hall meeting at the Kellen Gallery an hour late, one would not have missed anything.Within seconds, one would ascertain most of what had been talked about due to the redundant nature of the discussion.

One of the few issues that were discussed was Adam Rodriguez, his demands, and how, with the help of the nearly two hundred in attendance, The New School was going to compensate him for the damage he experienced as a result of the gallery’s occupation.For twenty minutes he stood affront the seated audience and described the horror of repainting the walls, and the fear he underwent in trying to budget the next three weeks of life without a job.Fortunately his supervisor was in attendance, and twenty minutes into the meeting, after allowing him to articulate his gripes, she informed Rodriguez that he was still to be paid regardless of future occupations.

After a brief interruption from an angry student, who insisted on calling the student senate out for their shortcomings as mediators, the meeting was opened up to other concerned students and faculty.One student stated that The New School needed to consider how to move forward.The next suggested that The New School move forward responsibly.

After a brief interruption from the same angry student – who was promptly cheered off stage – the student senators insisted that the crowd take a vote on where to host future occupations if not at the Kellen Gallery.Six people and thirty excited fingers wiggled in excitement, but this gesture soon proved to be insufficient.

A certain faculty member suggested that not enough people remained in attendance to take a vote: she insisted that a vote would be a misrepresentation.This last suggestion to schedule another town hall meeting specifically to discuss new spaces for possible future occupations was the most successful and productive moment of the meeting.